Event Planning
by Lucy Fullbuster
Summary: Hermione is the Head Girl when she returns to Hogwarts to complete her 7th year. Will the Head Boy be a help or a hindrance when Headmistress McGonagall drops a bombshell on them? /HG/DM. Reviews are appreciated :3 Rating will change as the story progresses. New chapters will be out on Fridays/Saturdays.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. This is my first Dramione fic. Reviews are greatly appreciated enjoy.

Breakfast at the Weasley's was as raucous as ever, Mr. Weasley and his third eldest son, Percy, had just left for work, leaving Ron, Fred, George, Ginny as well as Harry Potter and Hermione Granger seated at the table. Mrs. Weasley paced behind them ready to refill mugs of coffee, juice or milk and also encouraged them to eat fourths.

"Harry, dear, you've gotten so skinny, have some more bacon," she cooed.

"No thanks, I'm really quite full, Mrs. Weasley," he quickly replied, he knew if he hadn't spoke up, she would have buried him in sausage, toast and her perfectly cooked bacon. "Mom, how come you didn't offer me?" Ron asked, his mouth bulging with bacon.

"Ronald Weasley, you mustn't talk while eating, for Merlin's sake, swallow your food!" she snapped.

Fred and George were discussing the upcoming Quidditch tournament and were planning to use it to market their products even further. Their store was a remarkable success, and they were raking in galleons. The Burrow had lost most of its decrepit appearance since the twins were doing repairs. Harry, Ron and Hermione had qualified to become Aurors with the Ministry; it was expected since they had defeated Voldemort during the previous year.

The magical world was slowly healing itself, discrimination against muggleborns was disappearing, and everything had changed. Hogwarts had also offered them the opportunity to finish their final year, Harry and Ron immediately refused; they were too excited to start Auror training in September. Hermione, on the other hand, decided that she would finish her schooling; she had notified Hogwarts of her plans to return and had in turn received the 'Head Girl' badge. It was a very pleasant surprise when she found out that Ginny would also be in her classes. As for the Head Boy, he was a mystery.

The summer had almost finished and Hermione and Ginny went last minute shopping because she grew fed up of Hermione's lack of style. Ginny had grown into a very beautiful woman and she flaunted it, she knew what clothes suited her best, her accessories; never too much, makeup; light and natural, her hair; today, it was long and straight, her red locks elegantly flowing. Hermione was envious; her hair was never so compliant. Hermione had also blossomed, but she was hidden beneath layers of unflattering clothes and that bushy mess growing out of her head and Ginny was determined to drag her out.

After hours of Hermione trying on clothes and tantrums from Ginny as to what she should buy; they had successfully bought a new wardrobe for Hermione. They were both very pleased and all Hermione wanted to do was go lie down, but Ginny had other plans. Their last stop was a tiny little store tucked away in the corner next to Flourish and Blotts. Hermione had never noticed it before due to the fact that she was always too eager to get inside the bookstore. Ginny pulled her in; it looked like a hair salon, except it was completely empty of customers. "Ginny, I think it's closed," Hermione whispered. "No, darling, we simply are accommodating a request from Ginny," said a loud voice from the shadows.

A blonde woman, breathtakingly beautiful and tall, stepped out, "Ginny, darling, is this your friend?"

Ginny nodded with a smile, "Yes, Madame Red."

"She needs a lot of work, but I think we can pull it off, come darlings. Have a seat my dear," she motioned to Hermione who gratefully sat down in the chair. While Madame Red washed and massaged Hermione's scalp, Hermione felt at ease and drifted off to sleep.

Hours later, she was being prodded awake by Ginny who was beaming. Still groggy, she was faced with a very beautiful woman. _She must be part veela, _Hermione thought, "Ginny, who's that?" she questioned. Ginny giggled, "That's you." Hermione gasped and looked again, now conscious of the mirror. Her hair was no longer bushy and wiry; it fell into beautiful soft curls till mid-back, tinted honey gold. She was ecstatic. She thanked Madame Red for the hair makeover and tips for maintenance.

They returned to the Burrow around 10 o'clock, Mrs. Weasley had already sent Harry and Ron to bed since they had to get up at the crack of dawn to leave for their Auror training, Fred and George had left to stay at their apartment in Diagon Alley and Percy was staying at his girlfriend's house for the night. Mr. Weasley had arrived an hour before Ginny and Hermione and was exhausted from work so he decided to sleep after dinner. Mrs. Weasley smiled at them and touched Hermione's hair fondly, "You look beautiful, dear," she whispered, "now both of you, wash up, and go to bed. We're leaving at 9 in the morning, so finish packing your things." The morning wasn't extremely hectic since it was only Ginny, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley. Hermione had decided to wear a fitted pair of jeans and a deep red t-shirt, it was a tad bit too small, and showed a bit of her toned stomach, she had a damn good body- as Ginny said- so she could flaunt it if she wanted. She cast a comfort spell on her pumps and slipped them on. Time was of the essence so she quickly tied her hair in a ponytail with some stray locks of hair framing her face, grabbed her luggage and went to meet Ginny. They had arrived at Kings Cross with a couple minutes to spare and she hugged them and wished them a good term.

As the clock struck 11, the Hogwarts Express pulled out the station. It was a beautiful day, the sky was clear, showing no signs of the time that passed by. No signs of the war, death, tragedy. Hermione smiled and walked towards the Heads' compartment. She told Ginny goodbye and headed towards the front of the train. She received a lot of attention while walking and held the book she was reading earlier against her; she smiled internally, this was new and she quite liked it.

She was wondering who the Head Boy might be, so she eagerly peered into the compartment. Her brain went numb. A tall, well-built wizard with platinum blonde hair sat before her, his lips partially opened as he read _Moste Advance Transfiguration: For Experts Only_, clearly he was brilliant. On the table in front of him, lay a large crystal where the teapot should have been, he tapped it with his wand and it morphed back into a silver teapot. He looked up when the door slid open. Hermione, who was love struck immediately, felt a sharp jolt when she looked into his silvery gray eyes. "M-Malfoy?" she gasped. "Do I know you?" clearly he didn't recognize her. "You're the Head Boy?" He smiled, "Yes, I am. What's your name?" he inquired.

He looked at her, surely he'd recognize her if he knew her. She was slim and very shapely, her clothes suited her perfectly; the red of her top matched the fire in her eyes, and her hair was a warm brown tinted with gold in the sunlight. Draco was entranced by her beauty, in her hands, she clutched _Moste Advance Transfiguration II: For the Extremely Gifted. _Beautiful and brainy, she was definitely his type of girl. "Hermione Granger," she murmured, "I'm Hermione Granger." He gasped. This could not be the Hermione Granger he knew. Where was the bushy hair? The ugly clothes? The two dunderheads?

The train's whistle pierced the air, bringing both Draco and Hermione to reality. She stepped into the compartment cautiously and closed the door. "So you're practicing transfiguration, this is really advanced magic, Malfoy," she stated as she sat down opposite him ignoring the shocked silence she was met with.

"Yeah, I know, it's a bit difficult, especially the umm…. 'liquidum' one. I can't seem to get it. The teacup I was practicing on doesn't liquefy, it just sort of melts at the top."

Hermione tapped the teacup gently and flicked her wrist up, "_Liquidum_!" At once, the teacup liquefied into the saucer. She smiled brilliantly, "You've probably forgot the wrist flick, it's quite understandable."

Malfoy looked amazed. "_Liquidum_!" his teacup made a sloshing noise and filled his saucer. He was very pleased. "Thanks, Granger," he muttered.

Hermione was shocked. _He said 'Thanks', he must have changed after the war. He didn't even call me 'mudblood'. People really do change. He's completely mature now, quite unlike Ron and Harry. This year might not be such a disaster now. _

"Granger? Are you alright?"

"Huh?"

"You just spaced out on me."

"Oh. I'm fine. I was just thinking about some stuff. Malfoy, I actually think this year will be very productive. Let's put our past behind us and work together to make Hogwarts a better place."

She extended her hand towards him, he tentatively took it and they shook hands.

"Yeah, definitely Granger."

The train suddenly stopped and Hermione was thrown into Malfoy's lap. She turned red and quickly stood up. Draco smirked, "Was that also part of your plan, Granger?"

"Shut up!"

She peered out the window. "Oh, we've arrived! I haven't even put on my uniform," she groaned, "Malfoy, look away; I'm going to get dressed."

"Keep your knickers on; I know a spell that will do that." He pointed his wand at her, before she could object, he cried "_Mutare Uniformis!"_

Instantly, she was in her robes, her Head Girl badge glinting. She looked down, "Thanks, that's a very handy spell. C'mon, we have to take care of the other students now."


	2. Chapter 2

The sorting was complete and students were lounging about in their seats after the scrumptious dinner.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts for another year. I trust that you all have had an eventful summer. I am your Headmistress and also Head of Gryffindor House, Professor McGonagall. The Head of Slytherin, Professor Snape; Head of Ravenclaw, Professor Flitwick; Head of Hufflepuff, Professor Sprout. This year, our Head Girl is Hermione Granger-" the hall erupted with cheers from the Gryffindor table "-and our Head Boy is Draco Malfoy."

"What?"

"Malfoy?"

"What are they playing at, having _him_ as Head Boy?"

"Silence! You are to abide by the rules, classes start in the morning at 8 sharp. You have all received your respective timetables and there should be absolutely no students late for their classes. Mr. Filch has reminded me for the fortieth time today, that there is a revised list of objects that is banned and you can find a list on your common room's notice board. Lastly, the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students. Off to bed now. Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, I would like to have a word with you both now."

The sleepy students shuffled out their seats and made their way to their dorms. The Gryffindors, on the other hand were quite lively and tried to protest the appointment of Draco Malfoy. It was only after McGonagall threatened to disqualify the Gryffindor Quidditch team, did they subdue themselves. Glaring at Malfoy, they exited the Great Hall.

"Congratulations, both of you. You both have the highest grades recorded in Hogwarts history, and many of your professors vouched in your abilities to be the Heads. Do not disappoint them. Mr. Malfoy, as you can see, many of the students do not trust you so it is your duty to be fair and uphold the school rules. Also, both of you will not be staying in your respective dorms. In a bid to achieve house unity, you will have a separate dorm where you both will be living. It is on the 4th floor, near to a landscape painting, there is a suit of armor. The password is 'Dalmatian Spots'. That will be all. Good Night." McGonagall left them standing there in silence; they exited after her and walked towards their new dorm.

"Dalmatian Spots." The armor sprang to life and revealed the door behind it. Hermione grasped the handle and pushed. Her jaw dropped.

The dorm was astonishing and exquisite. The floors were a rich purple plush carpet, the walls, lilac, adorn with gold lamps that held white flames. The dining area held a polished mahogany table that could at least seat twelve. There was a large fireplace with a clock and other little objects on the mantelpiece above it. Two staircases adorn with gold carvings lead up to their sleeping quarters. Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling, making the dorm seem like a regal hotel instead of housing for students. There were four golden doors; two were their bedrooms and the other two, a mystery that she was dying to find out. Hermione sighed in happiness, a huge grin forming on her face, she ran to the closest door and flung it open, she shrieked in happiness when she realized that they had their own personal library. The other door however, could not be opened.

"Gah!" Hermione sighed as she gave up on wringing the handle, tapping it with her wand and murmuring spells. "I wonder what's in here," she pondered.

After 5 more minutes of watching her struggle, Malfoy stated that he was going to bed early and retired to the left door at the top of the staircase. Frustrated, Hermione gave in soon after and went to her room. As she pulled the golden handle, she stood shocked at her door. Her room was as red as rubies with gold embellishments. A roaring fireplace warmed her new home, twin armchairs were placed by the fire, perfect for doing light reading. A huge king-sized four poster bed occupied the center of the room, on its other side, two dainty looking doors were present; one was her closet, the other, a splendid bathroom. Feeling the waves of tiredness wash over her, she took a quick shower and climbed into her bed.

While sleep captured Hermione easily, it waged a war with the Head Boy in the other room. As Malfoy lay on his bed, he thought of the day's odd happenings. _"This year's gonna be really different," _he thought, _"Granger has surely changed." _With that thought, he surrendered to sleep.

Gentle rays of sunshine scattered across Malfoy's face caused him to wake up groggily, he checked the time; it was 7:15. "_Mmmmm maybe five more minutes… Wait… 7:15? Merlin's beard! I'll be late!" _After a hurried bath, he threw his books into his bag _"7:50? Already?" _and bolted down the stairs with every intention of getting to class on time. He dashed across the room, flung open the door and then abruptly stopped. He turned around and looked at Hermione who was sitting at the table, who looked quite startled with a piece of toast in her hand. "Aren't you going to class?" he inquired. He looked at the toast in her hand and he realized how hungry he was. He glanced at the sink, no dirty dishes. "Where did you get that? Did you make breakfast?"

"What? No, it seems this table is connected to the kitchen, the same way the tables were in the Yule Ball. As for class, Flitwick sent word with one of the ghosts that class will start at 9. Apparently the first years had a school tour, so he was in charge."

"Oh. That's great," he dropped his bag on the table. He sat down and looked tentatively at his golden plate, "Bacon, eggs and French toast?" Immediately, the food appeared, he grinned and began to eat.

"What're you reading, Granger?"

"Hogwarts: A History."

"You know, I've never read that. Is it interesting?

"Yes, it's fascinating."

Unsure if she was being sarcastic, Malfoy ate in silence after. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence to him; on the contrary, he quite liked it. He noticed the way her lips moved ever so slightly when she read. She looked around suddenly at the clock on the mantelpiece and said, "It's 8:45, let's go."

"Hermione! Over here!"

Hermione smiled and went to sit with Ginny in the first row, while Malfoy slumped away to an empty seat in the back.

"Merlin, Malfoy's gotten so hot! How did you manage to stay in the same dorms with him?" Ginny giggled. Hermione gave her an exasperated look and didn't bother to answer her as Professor Flitwick began calling out the register. After writing notes, they were trying out a particularly difficult non verbal charm. The whole room was filled with witches and wizards flailing their arms with strained looks on their faces. Hermione smirked at her ink pot with her wand ready. She flicked it upward and did a few complicated jabs, instantly, her ink pot disappeared. "Ten points each to Gryffindor and Slytherin," Flitwick proclaimed, "Gather around everyone, both Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy have successfully turned their ink pots invisible with the non-verbal spell. Splendid!"

After Charms, she headed back to her dorm as Ginny went down to the Quidditch pitch to 'check conditions'. She expected to be alone in the dorms but surprisingly, Malfoy was lounging near the fire. He appeared to be writing a letter and didn't notice her when she came in. His impressive eagle-owl was perched on the window's ledge waiting for him to finish. She dropped her bag next to his by the door and made her way to the table for lunch. She stared at the plate and contemplated on what she should ask for. After a few minutes, she murmured, "Lasagna" and instantaneously it appeared on her plate. Smacking her lips, she attacked it mercilessly, enjoying the richness of it. When she finished, Malfoy walked in, and plopped himself on the chair opposite her "Mashed potatoes and lamb chops." He ate slowly and savored his food and while making small talk with her. As his plate was replaced with a clean one, he smirked, "Chocolate gateau." Instantly, a large slice of the most delicious cake Hermione had ever seen appeared on his plate. She couldn't contain herself; she took her fork and casually cut a piece off and began to savor its richness. Malfoy could not be more shocked. Hermione Granger just stole a piece of his gateau. It was obvious that she did not think much of it since she carried on reading like nothing had happened, Malfoy smirked to himself _"Granger, that move was worthy of a Slytherin."_ After he had finished his cake, Hermione had long been gone.

It was about 2 o'clock, when McGonagall strode in. She noticed Malfoy lounging by the window in an effort to keep himself cool, but Hermione was nowhere to be seen.

"Do you know where Ms Granger is, Mr Malfoy?" she asked.

"The library probably, but I'm not sure. She could be with that Weasley girl in the Gryffindor common room, but as I said before, I'm not particularly sure."

McGonagall pursed her lips, "Well, we must find her, it's a matter of utmost importance. You check the library; I'll visit the Gryffindor common room."

With that, she left the room. Malfoy sighed. _"Where are you, Granger?"_

Glancing through the library, he didn't see her but he did see her bag. Looking through the aisles of books, he searched for her. He couldn't seem to find her but just when he was going to give up, he heard someone mention his name. He walked towards the sound of the voice and stood on the other side of the bookcase.

"Malfoy's so hot. Did you see how muscular and tall he got? And he actually is pretty smart, did you see him make that inkpot invisible? He seems much nicer now; he doesn't pick on muggleborns and first years anymore. He's totally mature now. He's- Hermione? Are you listening to me?"

Malfoy smirked. _The Weaselette thinks I'm hot._ _Granger, what contributions are you gonna make?_

"Yes Ginny, I'm listening. Argh! This is so frustrating! I can't find the book anywhere," she groaned as she continued to pull books off the shelf.

"What was the last thing I said, 'Mione?"

"Huh? Umm… You were telling me that umm…. Malfoy? What are you doing?"

_Crap. She spotted me._

"I was looking for you," he replied smoothly, "I thought I heard you around here but then I spotted this book that I was looking for since the summer-" he randomly pulled a book off the shelf and held it up "-umm… McGonagall asked me to find you. Apparently she has important news for us, so we should be going now. Weasley," he winked "I'll be taking her now."

Blushing furiously, Ginny nodded. Hermione grabbed her bag and left with Malfoy. While walking up the stairs, Hermione asked, "How come you didn't get the book?"

"Wha- Oh. Umm… I bought it by owl order already."

"Then why were you still looking for it? Malfoy, were you spying on Ginny and me?" she teased.

"What? No! Why would I do that? I was- It- Umm… We should hurry back, McGonagall's probably waiting." With that he quickened his pace to avoid further questions.

"Dalmatian Spots."

The armor jumped aside, and they strode in quickly.

"You wanted to see us, Professor?"

"Yes, Ms Granger, why don't we discuss the issue in your library?"

"Sure."

Hermione and Malfoy sat together while McGonagall sat opposite them. She noticed the looks of confusion on their faces and smiled.

"Well, let's not beat around the bush, this year, we're hoping to have a Christmas ball. It's going to be grand with all the fineries-"

"But Professor, what does that have to do with us?"

"I was now getting to that, Mr Malfoy. As I was saying, this ball is going to be one of the largest events in Hogwarts history and I want you both to plan it and ensure its success."

"What? You want us? To plan a ball? Really? This will be so much fun. I'm definitely looking forward to it! Right Malfoy?"

"Wha- Sure, but I don't understand why we have to do it. Why can't you get an event planner?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Don't be rude," she chided. But he shrugged her off and looked intently at McGonagall.

"This success of this ball will be graded, you see, over the years, many previous Head Boys and Girls of Hogwarts have been placed into situations where they had to plan events for their respective jobs, their success would usually be minimal to average and they all expressed their regret that they did not learn how to plan events. So this year, as a test run we'll be helping you along. There will be a number of judges, let's see, we'll have Professor Flitwick judging the strength and effectiveness of your charms, Professor Sprout judging the dishes and beverages, I will be judging the quality of your transfiguration and the students and guests attending will all be able to rank the success of the ball. Also, Professor Snape has _volunteered_"-both Hermione and Malfoy knew she forced him into doing it- "to aide you in brewing any potions you may need. The total score will be out of 100. You can plan it using your discretion and will be allocated a budget to get necessities. You must both, at all times remember that this project is showcasing your various magical skill set and everyone is eager to see what you will come up with. This is a compulsory assignment, but since you both are excellent students, I'm sure you won't have any problems organizing this and preparing for your NEWTs. If you have any questions, feel free to visit my office, but for now, there are matters that I must attend."

McGonagall strode out leaving Hermione and Malfoy sitting shocked in their library. Hermione sighed.

"Granger. Do you have any ideas?"

"Hmm…? Not really, I'll try to think about it. Maybe tomorrow we can brainstorm? I'm going down to the Quidditch pitch now to watch the Gryffindor tryouts, I'll see you later."

"Take an umbrella, Granger."

"Wha-"

"It's pouring. If you got sick, I'd have to plan this damn thing alone," he smirked. She rolled her eyes at him as she left.

:3 I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as enjoyed writing it. Please review! :3


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Enjoy! Please Review!

* * *

Hermione was sick. If only she had taken an umbrella to the Quidditch pitch. It really was raining heavily. She snuck into her room to avoid Malfoy. He was studying by the fireplace, smirking at the book he was reading. Oh how she wanted to hit him because of that annoying smirk.

Gah!

She crawled into her bed with her head pounding and a fever. She curled into a ball and sniffled periodically as she drifted off into sleep. She was unaware that a certain blonde wizard had noticed that she was sick. Sighing to himself, he tossed the book aside and strode out the door, towards the hospital wing. _Bloody Gryffindors._

Hermione awoke with a loud crash. She jumped out of her bed, her head still pounding and rushed towards the source of the noise. She flung open her room door and was shocked at the scene unfolding. Harry and Ron were standing at the foot of the stairs leading up to her room, their wands raised. She could not see what had caused the noise; she pushed past them to see Malfoy unconscious on the floor bleeding profusely. Glass shards from a flask were surrounding him, a few, embedded into his arm. The remains of the potion were soaking into the carpet.

"'Mione, this git was trying to sneak into your room. How the hell did he get in here?" Ron stated. He looked at Harry and grinned, "This Auror training is bloody handy."

"Ronald Weasley, what do you think you're doing? And Harry? Didn't you have the sense to stop him?! Malfoy's the Head Boy! How did you get in here?"

Hermione dropped to her knees and prodded Malfoy gently, he seemed to be stunned. A blue bruise was forming on his jaw, it was clear that they attacked him before he could defend himself. She noted the familiar smell of the potion, it was the Pepperup potion. Malfoy _had_ noticed she was sick.

"But Hermione, he was sneaking up to your room with a flask of poison!" Ron argued.

"McGonagall gave us the password," Harry mumbled, "we were going to surprise you."

"Ronald Weasley! That is Pepperup potion! Are you daft?"

"Pepperup potion? Who's sick?"

"_Ennervate!_ Yes Ronald, I am! Get the hell out!" she shouted as Malfoy stirred. They looked shocked and made their way out of the room. Hearing the door shut, Hermione looked at Malfoy. He seemed to be in a lot of pain as she began taking the shards out of his arm. He yelped at the first one, she smiled, "Shh… Draco, it'll only hurt a bit," she whispered. His eyes fluttered open when she said his name.

"You called me 'Draco'."

"Isn't that your name?"

He rolled his eyes at her but winced as she took the last shard out. She cleaned his wounds and summoned a bottle of Dittany and a strange ointment from her room. After his arm healed, she began rubbing the ointment on his jaw. The pain receded as he sat up. She cleaned the carpet with a flick of her wrist. She looked at him; his usually well-groomed hair was tousled and his robes were torn. She noticed that a faint growth of stubble was creeping in. His grey eyes darkened with some unknown emotion, "Granger? Granger!" He was calling her name, her eyes slid in and out of focus. Her head was spinning; the pain was unbearable, she fell backward but never hit the ground.

Hermione woke up in the hospital wing. She vaguely remembered a warm comforting smell and strong arms carrying her. _What happened to me?_ She wondered. As if to answer her question, Madam Pomfrey bustled next to her and began checking her pulse and administering a last dosage of medicine to her, she smiled at her and in a motherly voice explained that the Head Boy brought her in when she passed out. She was extremely stressed out and with the flu she had, caused a bad reaction. She was perfectly fine now and was free to leave. Thanking the nurse, Hermione walked back to her dorms, the events of the evening replaying in her mind.

_Damn Ron and Harry. They're so stupid! Why can't they be more considerate? Always jumping to some stupid conclusion. But Malfoy took me to the hospital wing? That was unexpected._

Entering the dorm, Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. Hermione found Hedwig perched on the windowsill. She dug through the drawer to find a small box of owl treats, fed her some, and then took the letter from her leg. Hermione opened the letter, inside were two notes. The first was from Harry:

_Hermione,_

_We're sorry for barging in yesterday. We didn't even know Malfoy was the Head Boy. Anyway, hope you feel better soon. Next time we're going to visit, I'll definitely write you before we show up unexpectedly like that. See you soon._

_Harry._

At least Harry had the decency to apologize, she thought to herself. She opened the other note, from Ron and read:

_'Mione,_

_Poisonous toadstools don't change their spots, so please be careful around him. He's probably just being nice to you because he wants to get into your pants. I'm sure he noticed your makeover and was really surprised. He's just trying to get into your good graces to come between us. Obviously he doesn't realize that you have a boyfriend. By the way, for a sick person, you looked slammin'. Be careful 'Mione._

_Love, Ron._

_P.S- Be my girlfriend?_

Tears of anger ran down her cheeks. How dare Ron say that? He was such a pig. She pulled out a spare piece of parchment and a quill and turned him down, not bothering to spare his feelings. Ron was an ass; she made it very clear that she thought that of him. She attached the note to Hedwig's leg and watched as she flew off into the sunset. She heard the door shut; she wiped her eyes hastily and left, not even stopping to thank Malfoy. He watched as she ran to her room and slammed the door. He swore he saw tears in her eyes. Clearly something was wrong, he walked to the windowsill and looked out, he was waiting for his eagle owl to come back, dropping his bag next to the fireplace, he noticed two notes: one lying crumpled on the floor.

Sneaking a glance up the staircase, he bent down to retrieve them. _Potty, you've actually learned some manners? _Malfoy thought. _Let's see what that dunderhead Weasel King said to her. I'm sure he's the one who upset her._ Unfolding the letter, he began to read. Moments later, he was angry. Blood rushed to his head, all he wanted was to knock Ron's head off. Sure Hermione was attractive now, but he wasn't being nice for that reason. He swore loudly and punched the mantelpiece, breaking the trinkets that were there. No wonder Hermione was so upset. He needed to cool off for now; he grabbed his bag and stalked off to his room.

The next morning, Hermione refused to keep a conversation with Malfoy. She answered him in a finalized tone and left him still eating breakfast. Malfoy was seething as he entered Transfiguration. She was treating him like he was the one who had hurt her. He took his usual back seat and attempted to make notes.

One week had passed since Hermione had stopped talking to Malfoy when she got a letter from Harry stating that they would be visiting later. She didn't bother to notify Malfoy since recently, he was hardly around.

Malfoy sat in the library studying for the quiz that was soon to be coming. The candles burned low as he realized that it was late. Packing up his stuff, he made his way to his dorm. As he entered, the first thing he saw was Harry and Ron. "Potter," he acknowledged. "Malfoy," he replied. He ignored the red haired wizard and was walking to his room when he stopped, dropped his bag and walked up to Ron. Ron stood tall as though provoking him. In one fluid motion, Malfoy clenched his fist and buried it deep into Ron's face, not even pausing to breathe. He didn't stop until he felt Hermione push them apart with a well placed spell. With Ron's blood dripping from his fist, he picked up his bag, put his hands in his pockets and went to his room.

Malfoy undressed and went straight into his shower. He felt oddly satisfied and couldn't care less about the screaming match going on outside his door. Most of it was the Weasel. Random phrases echoed into his bathroom like 'that git', 'he doesn't care about you' and 'dammit Hermione'. After ten more minutes of yelling, he heard the door slam and silence engulfed the dorm. Moments later, there was a sharp knock on his door. Wrapping a towel around his waist loosely, he opened his door. A furious Hermione bolted into his room and was going to start ranting when she took in his appearance. His dripping wet blonde locks, his strong arms and supple body; he was toned in all the right places. His grey eyes danced with mischief, he closed his door and leaned against it. "Like what you see?" he whispered. She blushed furiously and avoided his eyes, "Get dressed Malfoy, I'll meet you downstairs," she managed to reply.

"No."

"What?"

"I said 'No' Granger. Whatever you came to say, say it now. You're not leaving until then."

"Well, could you at least put some clothes on?"

"Am I bothering you?"

"No! It's just that…. Why did you hit Ron, Malfoy?"

Malfoy strode across the room, and faced her, she looked away. He was so close to her now, he raised her jaw gently, forcing her to look at him, she could smell him, and she felt his soft locks of hair barely grazing her face, his eyes, soft and inviting. She felt like his silver gaze penetrated her into her soul. Smirking slightly, he arrogantly said, "Well, for starters, he's stupid. I'm not being nice to you because I want to get in your pants, despite what your dearest _boyfriend _'Ron' thinks. Secondly, if he thinks you're that kind of girl, he stupider than I thought," pausing to note her reaction, he continued, "don't look at me like that, of course I read the letter he wrote you, you left it out in the open. I'm a Slytherin, what else did you expect?"

She smiled slightly and replied, "You arrogant bastard, he's not my boyfriend."

"Yes, that I am. Is there anything else you wanted to know?"

"Not really, I should be going now," she murmured. She pushed him away from her and exited his room, leaving a smirking Malfoy standing by his bed.

* * *

:3 Review!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I don't own Harry Potter, but it's a fabulously written book. I still can't get enough of it, but then again, who can?

Enjoy! :3 Review!

* * *

The next day, they began to plan the ball. Hermione had a roll of parchment and her No-Ink quill ready. After a few minutes, she realized that Malfoy was distracted. He was fidgeting with his quill and drawing strange doodles on the edge of his parchment.

"Malfoy?"

"Huh?"

"Is something the matter?"

"No. Umm…. I'm fine. What were you saying before?"

"Themes. Do you have any ideas?"

"Hey Granger, did you notice if my owl came back yet?"

"I didn't see it."

_So that's what he's thinking about. That letter must've been pretty important. I wonder what it was about._

"What about a- umm… I have no idea Malfoy."

"There's something you DON'T know?" he teased.

"Shut up. What the hell are you drawing?"

She grabbed his parchment and looked at it. It looked a bit strange at first, but the longer she looked at it, the more enchanting it became. A serpent coiled elegantly to form a throne for a very pretty girl who although was incomplete, bore a strange familiarity. She swore she could see the snake's eyes pierce through her soul.

_"INCENDIO!"_

The parchment burst into flames, causing Hermione to yelp and drop it onto the floor. She glared at him, "That wasn't very nice, Malfoy."

"Was it nice that you stole my parchment?"

She sputtered. She could feel him emanating a dangerous aura, so she didn't pursue him when he stalked out of the library. She heard a door slam and she figured that they would not be starting to plan anytime soon. She packed up her things slowly. She was so confused. She needed someone to talk to, not Ginny; she'd just fawn over Malfoy. Someone who would listen to her and give her helpful advice, but who did she know like that? The answer came to her almost instantly as she ran out the dorm to her new destination.

* * *

Timidly, she knocked on the wooden door. A loud barking could be heard from inside the small house, followed by "Get back Fang!"

The door swung open, a half-giant man with bushy hair stepped out and smiled, "Well, hello, Hermione. I haven't seen yer around. I heard Malfoy's tha Head Boy, tha must be horrible. Won't yer come in fer some tea?"

She grinned and nodded as she sat at Hagrid's table, she remembered his helpful advice when Ron was angry with her, claiming that Crookshanks ate Scabbers. She clutched the mug and cautiously took a sip. Fang, the enormous boarhound that Hagrid owned, rest his head on her lap and began slobbering all over her.

"So, wha's bothering yer?"

"Nothing."

"Hermione, I know yer, I'm not as clueless as Ron and Harry. Summat's bothering yer."

"Well, it's about Malfoy."

"Say no more, he's a slimy git, wha did he do? D'you want me to set Fang on him?"

"No! No! He didn't do anything. He's been really nice to me."

Hagrid's eyebrows receded into his bushy mane, "Wha?"

"We called a truce in the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of the year. He's been nice. We're actually very civil towards each other."

"Then, wha's the problem?"

Hermione launched into the story telling him about how Ron attacked him and the events that followed. He nodded and listened attentively. Minutes later, she was almost finished, telling him about the parchment incident in the library a few hours aback.

"And that's what happened," she finished.

"Well, Hermione, yer can't expect him to not be mad at yer. To be honest, I'd be mad as well."

She stared at him in disbelief. Was this the same person who disliked Malfoy?

"He's not Ron an' Harry. Yer can't expect him ter be all happy when yer invading his privacy like tha'. People have secrets, an' yer can't pry into them. From wha' yer told me, he has changed, but it's still hard on him. Jus' yesterday, I saw him tryna help some fourth years out an' they began cussing him. He didn't even take house points or give detentions, I was shocked. People don't forget tha' he was a bad guy; it's probably been really hard on him. He's not accustomed to people treating him like tha'. If summat's wrong, yer can't weasel it outta him, yer gotta wait. If he decides to tell yer, he will."

She nodded. Hagrid's advice was pretty logical.

"I hate to tell yer this bu' you'll have ter apologize ter Malfoy."

"I know, Hagrid. I didn't even think about it like that. I should probably get going now. _Scorgify!_" All the drool was removed from her clothes as she thanked Hagrid for his advice and bade him goodbye.

* * *

Walking back to her dorm with dread, she laughed at how ironic it was that she was going to apologize to Malfoy.

Entering the room, minutes later, she hoped that he would be out, unfortunately, he was standing by the window looking out for his owl.

"Malfoy, I want to apologize about before. I had no right to invade your privacy like that."

He smirked. "I must be dreaming. Is Granger apologizing for being nosy?"

"Shut it Malfoy, no need to be an ass. I already said I was sorry."

She was fuming. He was acting normal; maybe she was over thinking it.

"Chill out. It's fine. I'm just teasing you. While you were gone, look at this cool charm I discovered. Open your hand. Don't give me that look; I swear I won't do anything suspicious."

Reluctantly, she complied. Malfoy pointed his wand at her palm and cried, "_Glacies Mediocris!_"

A tiny fairy appeared in her hand. It was stunning. She smiled, "This is really something. You created a fairy."

"Wha-? No, it's not real. You can't create magical creatures like that, you know that. It's made of ice."

She blushed and inspected it further, "Of course I know that. Professor Flitwick mentioned that a couple years ago. It looks so real."

"Yeah, I know. Granger, I was thinking, what if we somehow center the Christmas Ball around this. It'll be like one of those parties that we throw at the manor!"

"Malfoy, I've never been to any formal parties in the wizarding world."

He pondered for a few moments and then said, "Well, there's a party this weekend, if you're not busy, you could attend it with me."

"Absolutely not! The last thing I need is a bunch of idiotic, high class, stuck up purebloods treating me like crap. I think I can find something better to do with my weekend."

"Ouch! I wouldn't exactly describe my parents like that. After the war, they stopped acting like that. Besides, it's my mother's birthday."

"Oh, sorry. Yeah, they seemed to have mellowed out. I saw them in Diagon Alley before the semester started and they were certainly nicer than before."

"So will you come?" he asked, but quickly added, "For the sake of school work, of course."

"Yes, of course. But, I have nothing to wear and it's only a couple days away."

"Really?" he quipped, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "You didn't think there was a chance of me asking you to go to my mother's birthday gala with me? Don't worry about that, my mother has a lot, she'd be glad to let you have something."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Ok. I'm going to study now. Good night, Malfoy."

"Yeah, night."

* * *

Preview for next chapter: Hermione has a visitor and some awkward convos take place. Narcissa's gala will be taking place, but I'm not sure if I'll make that one chapter or two...

Bit of rambling: If you have any ideas for the gala, anything at all, like Hermione's dress or anything about the Christmas Ball, feel free to let me know. I don't mind some interaction from my readers. Reviews fuel quicker chapters. So, review, review, review! New chapters for this comes out Friday-Saturday-ish.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sorry for the delay. For the next couple of weeks I'll be having exams, so chapters will be late. Sorry :3

* * *

After Potions, Malfoy and Hermione decided to walk back to their dorms together. They received many strange looks from the other students. Whether they were ignoring the stares or simply too engrossed in their discussion on the different uses of Mediterranean plants for Potions to notice it, nobody could tell. As they entered their dorm, they noticed that they had a visitor.

"Mother?"

Malfoy dropped his bag instantly and hugged her. "What are you doing here?" he asked her when he let go.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to the Head Girl, Draco?" she teased.

"Sure. Umm…. Mother, this is Hermione Granger. Granger, this is my mother, Narcissa Malfoy."

Narcissa crossed the room elegantly and offered her hand to Hermione, who shook it gently.

"Draco, there's no need to be so formal. You may call me 'Narcissa', Miss Granger."

"Hermione. You can call me 'Hermione'."

She smiled and they began exchanging pleasantries leaving a confused Draco Malfoy out of their conversation. He cleared his throat loudly and asked again, "Mother, why are you here?"

"My dear, I've come to visit Hermione, of course. Don't you have homework to do? Run along now, this is a witches' affair."

He sulked off to his room leaving a baffled Hermione with his mother. Lying on his bed, he wondered what his mother was up to.

* * *

"Come Hermione, I have a lot to do before I leave. Where's your room?"

Hermione led the way, still unsure of what was happening. Narcissa closed the door as Hermione entered and motioned her to have a seat with her by the fireplace.

"Don't look so scared, dear, I'm not going to do anything. I just wanted to chat a bit."

"I'm not scared," she replied defiantly, "I'm just a little confused as to why you're here visiting me."

"Ahh…. Well, I've come to discuss a few things with you. I want to know a little about you since you'll be attending my gala. Also, I wanted to discuss Draco with you."

"Malfoy? Why?"

"Well, he's been having a hard time here. The students are very unforgiving of him. I know what his father and I did was wrong, but at the time, we were just doing what we thought was best for him. I love him dearly; I only want him to be safe and happy. He's written to me a few times at the beginning of the year but now, he writes less. He's found comfort in you."

"What?" Hermione almost shouted.

"Draco, has never been one to trust people. He is very dependent on himself. He's always been that way. I guess I can say that you make him feel human. You're the only one at Hogwarts who treats him fairly. I just wanted to thank you for that."

"Umm… Okay."

"I know it must be weird to hear that from me, but there is nothing I care about more than my family. I would do anything for them. Obviously, Draco would never admit that you're his friend, but I want you to know that you are."

Hermione smiled as she recollected how significant Narcissa had been in the war. It was because of her that they were able to win. She never considered being his friend but he was a nice guy, so why not?

"Well, now let's get down to business," Narcissa stated as she conjured a large wardrobe. She pulled the doors open, allowing Hermione a glimpse into the wardrobe of the high class witches. "Draco told me that you had nothing to wear, so I brought some of my dresses, which one do you like?"

Hermione was never one for clothes but these dresses were all exquisite. She cautiously touched them and looked carefully at them all. "I like this one," she said after a couple minutes, pulling a long scarlet gown out of the wardrobe.

"Quite the Gryffindor are we?" Narcissa smirked.

Hermione changed into the dress and looked into the mirror, it fit her gorgeously. Narcissa looked bored at it; she waved her hand airily, "Let's try the rest." Hermione spent the latter of the evening twirling and changing for Narcissa, and answering her questions about her, who showed various degrees of boredom. Finally, three hours later, Narcissa's eyes lit up.

"That's the one!"

Hermione had to agree with her. It was a stunning dress; floor length, strapless, black with emerald trimmings worked elegantly into the corset. There was a mid-thigh high slit on the left side that left much to be desired. It was fluid and moved gracefully, hugging her curves then fanning out onto the floor, creating a small pool of black fabric.

"This is definitely the one."

"Yes it is. You look lovely in those colors; emerald really suits you," she smirked.

Hermione blushed, "Thank you Mrs. Mal- Narcissa. Is there anything I should know about the gala?"

"There's nothing that important really. Draco can fill you in on the minor details," she glanced at the small clock on Hermione's table, "Is that the time? I must leave now. I will see you on Saturday, Hermione."

She waved her wand and the wardrobe disappeared. Hermione walked her to the exit and looked at the older witch. She noticed how she moved; gracefully and proud, easily parting the crowd of students without saying or doing anything. She had a strange feeling that Saturday was going to be more eventful than she planned. Lost in thought, Hermione walked over to the window and looked out. The gentle breeze caressed her face, somehow she felt like she was missing something important. Narcissa Malfoy was undoubtedly a very busy woman, she could have easily sent the clothes with someone else, yet she chose to visit in person. _Why did she come here?_ She wondered. She didn't even hear the soft footsteps of Malfoy when he came in.

"Granger? Are you alright?" he asked, but was met with silence. He wondered vaguely what she was thinking about. He walked closer to her, but she still didn't notice him.

"Granger?"

"Granger?"

"Granger?" he was starting to get annoyed. He walked close behind her and whispered into her ear, "Hermione."

"M-Malfoy, you startled me!" she squeaked, she turned, her heart racing. He towered above her as she looked at him.

"Sorry, I've been calling you for the past few minutes but you didn't hear me. What were you thinking about that you didn't notice _me_?" he smirked.

She rolled her eyes, "Nothing much. What did you want?"

"So I can't talk to you without wanting something? Granger, that's harsh."

Hermione turned red. Malfoy was still extremely close to her and was showing no signs of moving as he continued their conversation casually.

"Malfoy, d'you mind stepping back a bit?"

"Huh?" He looked down and realized how close they were. "Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?" he smirked.

"Hardly," she commented dryly.

He stepped aside and leaned against the window frame. "You were trying to figure out my mother's motives, weren't you?"

"How did you know that?"

"Granger, it's you, you're always trying to figure out stuff like that. It's best not to worry about it, when the time comes, you can deal with it then. Anyway, the gala begins at 8pm and will probably end around 2am on Sunday. We'll leave Hogwarts around 11, so we can have lunch with my parents and we'll get ready in the manor for the party. I already cleared it with McGonagall."

Hermione nodded. "Well, Malfoy, I should go and pack."

"It's 'Draco'."

Hermione looked dumbfounded.

"You can't go to the gala and call me 'Malfoy'," he explained.

"Sure, M- Draco."

His name slid so naturally of her tongue; he had the sudden urge to hear it more.

"Draco? Is something wrong?" she asked shyly.

"Wha- It's nothing, Granger. What did you just say?"

"I said you can call me 'Hermione'."

"Oh. Well, Hermione, I will see you later, yeah."

Hermione blushed as he stood up straight and looked at her. He was quite tall; his shirt was unbuttoned at the top, allowing her a sneak peek of his toned body, his grey eyes pierced into her soul but when he smiled at her, they instantly became soft and inviting.

"Yeah."

"Hermione?" he called. She turned to look at him, "What is it?"

"Do you like what you see?" He teased. He waggled his eyebrows at her, "I saw you checking me out a moment ago."

"Shut up!" she replied as she stormed off, quite red-faced.

* * *

Saturday morning, Hermione woke up even earlier than normal. The sun had yet to rise as she showered and checked her bag for all her necessities. She noticed a book that Ginny had lent her during the summer, peeking out at her from under a book she had borrowed for light reading. Heaving the gigantic Potions book out of the way, she picked up the smaller pink one. It was filled with girly charms and spells used for things like makeup and hairdos; things that Hermione once thought were useless. She rifled through the pages looking for a simple and stylish hairstyle to accompany the gorgeous dress she would don later. She flipped through the last few pages; finally settling on an elegant updo.

Although she knew some charms for makeup, Hermione preferred the muggle way. It helped keep her busy and focused when she was in a formal situation. Checking the clock on her bedside table, she absently wondered if she should wear robes or muggle clothes to the Malfoy Manor. Deciding on the latter, she pulled a pair of dark denim jeans and the navy blue top that Ginny had bought for her birthday. Looking in the mirror, she pulled her hair into a ponytail and grabbed her beaded bag from her bed. She flung her door open, only to find herself face to face with Malfoy.

He was wearing a light blue shirt and black pants. He smelt of aftershave. His blonde hair was tousled and his eyes danced devilishly when he looked at her.

"What's wrong, Malfoy?"

He sighed dramatically, "Hermione, it's 'Draco'."

"What's wrong, _Draco_," she asked again.

"Nothing, are you ready? Let's go."

* * *

"Is that an albino peacock?"

"Eh?"

"That's really rare. Is that another? M-Draco, how many are there?"

"About a dozen, I guess."

"You guess?! They're even more beautiful than in my books. Don't look at me like that!"

"Like what? You're fawning over some silly birds, what's wrong with you?"

"Silly birds? Silly? Are you out of your m-manor?"

"Manor?"

"THAT'S THE MALFOY MANOR?!"

"Yes."

"You live there?"

"Obviously. Would you please stop with all the questions now?"

She pouted.

"I'm not Weasel King. I won't fall for that. If you want, I'll answer them later."

"Okay, fine." She rolled her eyes.

"I saw that."

"Is that a…" she stopped when she realized that Malfoy began glaring at her. He was so touchy when it came to his parents.

They entered through the large doors; the manor emanating regality. Hermione could feel ancient magic pulsing faintly through the mansion. New questions surfaced instantly in her mind, but she wisely chose to keep it for later. She quickened her pace as Malfoy strode through many different doors, swiftly navigating until he suddenly stopped. He put his hand on the door handle but refused to turn it.

"Draco, what's- wrong?" she huffed.

"My parents are on the other side of this door."

"Weren't you eager to see them?"

"Yeah, but- No! Hermione!"

She twisted the handle and gave a gentle push. They both stumbled into a large garden. It was magnificent. Many rare plants flowered abundantly; soft cantering of hooves could be heard (_Are those from horses or unicorns, _she wondered); a small stream trickled through a collection of moss covered rock. It was definitely a sight to behold.

* * *

"Draco! Hermione! Welcome!"

Hermione let out a small gasp when she saw Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy walking towards them, both dressed in exquisite dress robes. They both embraced their son and politely shook Hermione's hand. They escorted them to a large table covered in various delicious dishes. As they began to eat, the small talk began. Narcissa seemed quite interested with the Christmas Ball they were assigned to do, while Lucius entertained Hermione's questions about architecture and history of the manor.

"Draco, you must take Miss Granger for a tour of the manor," he drawled, "I'm sure she'll find it very interesting. I doubt her boyfriend, Ronald Weasley, can provide many opportunities like this for her."

Draco began choking on his pasta as his mother feverishly patted his back. Hermione swallowed a gulp of her juice with great difficulty. She coughed a couple times before stuttering out, "I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy, I may have misheard you. What did you say?"

"Isn't your boyfriend, Ronald Weasley, worried that you're here?"

"What? He isn't my boyfriend. What would make you say that?"

"He's been telling everyone in the Auror department that you two got together, so naturally, everyone in the Ministry knows."

"What? That's not true! I turned him down when he asked me. I don't believe he'd do something like that. Excuse me, but I have to go."

She stormed out of the garden leaving Draco and Narcissa glaring at an oblivious Lucius. Draco dropped his knife and fork on his plate and chased after her.

* * *

Sooooooooooooooooooooo... Exams... Urgh! But, I had some really cool ideas for the next couple of chapters so Narcissa's gala will be postponed until the next chapter...


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Enjoy :3

* * *

"Hermione! Hermione, wait!"

Hermione jogged through the maze of doors, ignoring Malfoy and found herself lost. Taking a moment to breathe, she wandered into the closest bedroom and collapsed on the bed. She clutched a pillow and began to sob from her anger. All she wanted to do was to hex Ron into oblivion so she'd never have to see his stupid face again.

_Stupid Ron! Stupid stupid Ron!_

She wondered if Harry knew anything about it. She cursed Ron mentally as she punched the pillow. She could hear Malfoy calling her name from the distance but she couldn't care less. She wanted to be alone. Disappointed, she heard the door open and Malfoy stood at the door.

"Get out! Leave me alone!"

"You're putting me out of my own room?"

"What?" she propped herself up on her elbows and looked at the room. It certainly looked like it belonged to a young wizard; Quidditch posters on the walls, books on a shelf, trophies and pictures lined a large cabinet.

"Sorry."

"Nah, don't be. I should be the one apologizing. My father should not have said that."

She buried her face in the pillow. Malfoy took the opportunity to cross the room and sit on his bed. Tentatively, he placed his hand on her back and began rubbing in comforting circles.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"You're upset; I'm trying to make you feel better."

"The only thing that will make me feel better is Ron's head on a platter," she snapped.

"Gold or silver?"

"What?"

"The platter."

"Does it matter? Any one!"

"Okay," he eased himself off his bed, "Be back soon."

She giggled but stopped when she realized that he was serious.

"Wait. You're serious? Draco, no! You can't just go around beheading people."

"You're the one who wants that," he replied as he sat down again.

"That doesn't mean that you have to do it."

"I just don't want you to be upset. Damn Weasel, gets on my nerves."

She sighed. They sat in silence for a couple minutes.

"Draco?"

He turned to watch the Head Girl in his bed. Her hair fanned out on his pillow and she had somehow managed to worm her way between the sheets. Her eyes were red and she was sniffling slightly, but she looked at him with utmost curiosity.

_I could get used to seeing her in my bed more often _he thought. _What the hell brain?! _

"Draco, are you okay?"

Snapping out of his reverie, he nodded slowly.

"Are you okay, Hermione?"

"Nope. I can't believe Ron would spread a rumor like that. And Harry! I wonder if he knew all this time and he didn't tell me. Gah! Some friends they are!"

"I'm sure Potter had his reasons. But Weasel King, he's such a dick. He must be overcompensating for something, eh."

Hermione began laughing uncontrollably, "Probably. You're making me cry."

He smirked as he watched her laughing.

_She has such a nice laugh._

"Draco…. Will you stop spacing out?"

"Wha- Sorry."

She sighed contentedly.

"You know, you can ask me about the manor now."

She sat up straight, her eyes twinkling with excitement, "Horses or unicorns?"

"Both."

"I noticed a large marble bust by the Malfoy crest tapestry, who is that?"

"Obviously, he's a Malfoy," he sassed. Then he began explaining the history of his family to her, smiling as she seemed genuinely interested.

_Eat your heart out, Reject Weasley._

* * *

A couple hours later, Malfoy showed her to the guest room she would be staying in so she could prepare for the ball. Hanging in the large wardrobe was the gorgeous dress that she borrowed from Narcissa. She smiled at it and touched it gently, reveling at the touch of the soft fabric.

After a long bath, she slipped into the dress and charmed her hair up. She lined her eyes with a deep red eyeliner, that made her eyes appear fiery, and natural makeup to complement the fabulous dress. She put on a pair of black pumps and a gorgeous pair of diamond earrings that her parents had bought her for her previous birthday. She admired her reflection in the floor length mirror when she was finished; she was sure she'd turn some heads.

Hearing a sharp rap on the door, she floated over and swung it open. There stood Draco Malfoy dressed in black and silver dress robes. They played up his eyes nicely as well as his platinum locks. Hermione felt her breath hitch when he looked at her but smiled when he began stuttering. He offered her his arm which she graciously took as he led her into a night she'd never forget.

* * *

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you, Draco, you don't look so bad yourself," she replied, causing his customary smirk to grace his face.

It was around half past eight when he led her down into the large hall which was already filled with wizards and witches in their best attire. As they began walking down the stairs, all eyes fell on Hermione who remained blissfully unaware as she elicited more information about the Malfoys' history. Draco, however, realized the situation and promptly held her close; a warning to all the single wizards that Hermione was taken.

Somewhere off in the distance, Narcissa smiled at her son and Hermione. They made a wonderful couple, but they just didn't know that yet. She dragged Lucius away from the guests he was greeting and forced him to apologize to Hermione for his appalling behavior earlier in the day. He sighed dramatically at her then strutted over to them. Draco noticed his father walking towards them and instantly he knew his mother sent him to apologize.

"Miss Granger, may I have this dance?" Lucius asked politely.

"Uhh-" she looked at Draco who gave her the tiniest nod, "Sure."

As the older Malfoy led Hermione on the dance floor, she noticed towering crystal sculptures of unicorns, fairies and other magical creatures. They were all captivating and very realistic; Hermione swore she saw the centaur pull an arrow from the quiver slung on its back. The older Malfoy graciously offered his hand for her to take as he led in her into a slow waltz. As they danced, he began his apology.

"Miss Granger, I'm terribly sorry for the way I acted this evening. I had no right to act so poorly to our guest. Please accept my sincerest apology."

"Oh. Sure. Draco calmed me down a bit after; he told me that you didn't mean anything by it, so it's no problem really."

He smiled. His son had done some pretty good damage control. He noticed that she was captivated by the sculptures.

"Those were created by a very famous witch. She spent years practicing and perfecting it. It's gorgeous, isn't it?"

"It's quite captivating, Draco and I were thinking about planning the ball using this one as a guide. But our budget would never cover it."

"Well, I'm flattered that you're using this as your standard, but with the budget you're going to receive, that's near impossible."

"I know," she sighed.

"If you want, I would be happy to loan you the Malfoy library, there are books filled with spells and ancient magic that needs a talented witch like yourself to wield. I'm sure you'll figure something out."

As if on cue, her eyes lit up. She thanked Lucius profusely and accepted his offer. As the dance ended, he escorted her back to his son. Noticing how Hermione was beaming, Draco knew something was up. As his father sauntered away, Hermione told him about the generous offer.

As the night went on, Hermione was introduced to many wizards and witches, some of them very famous. They were all very impressed with her intellect and beauty. Draco smirked as he pulled Hermione from the crowd she had created and led her to the buffet table. As they sampled food, they began discussing the Christmas Ball.

"So, what do you think?" Draco asked her.

"This is really something. To be in such a high class event, it's really a once in a lifetime experience. I think the students would appreciate that a lot, especially the girls; a night to dress up in your very best and mingle with good food and music."

Draco smiled, "So it's settled? We'll model it after this? C'mon, let's go outside, there's still more to discuss."

He pulled her by the hand to the balcony. There, the music and chatter could barely be heard. Draco leaned against the banister as she looked off into the distance. The sky was clear and dark; stars were twinkling merrily as the moon bathed them in soft light. She noticed a few albino peacocks strutting around the enormous lawn. The trees that lined the walkway were all lit with tiny fluttering fairies.

"Draco, do you think we should spice it up some how?"

"Eh? How?"

"Masks. You have to wear a mask as a part of your outfit and at midnight, you have to take them off."

"That sounds like trouble," he smirked, "I like it. But do you think McGonagall would be okay with that?"

"We'll have to ask her. She shouldn't have a problem."

As they continued chatting animatedly, they began to stray from the topic of the ball. Hermione enlightened Draco about the time she wiped her parents' memories to keep them safe and how hectic it was to hunt horcruxes. He was a very good listener, his reactions were all that she had expected. They also delved into his past and how he was branded with the Dark Mark. The more they talked, the more they found themselves enjoying each other's company.

"So, what made you stop liking Weasel? Did you start liking someone else or did you realize that he was an idiot and you deserved better?"

"I got fed up of the way he treated me. I mean, he never paid me much attention before but now he's fawning over me ever since Ginny forced me into a makeover. It sickens me. He's always insensitive and makes fun of me for learning as much as I can."

"There's nothing wrong with being passionate about that."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Draco? Hermione? Would you come inside for a bit?" Narcissa asked as she walked onto the balcony.

"Sure."

She led them back into the hubbub of the party. She stood next to Lucius who effectively quieted the room. Draco handed Hermione a glass of wine from the waiter who was walking by and looked at his father.

"Thank you all for coming. Tonight we want to thank you for visiting our manor to celebrate my lovely wife's birthday," he raised his glass in a toast to a blushing Narcissa Malfoy, leading everyone else to follow suit, "Also to my son Draco who is the Head Boy at Hogwarts and Hermione Granger, the Head Girl, for taking the time to celebrate with us. We hope that they go down in history as the best Heads Hogwarts had ever seen." A light smatter of applause echoed through the hall as Hermione turned red. As he continued his speech, Draco pulled Hermione away from the crowd.

* * *

"Where are we going?"

They began walking through a corridor.

He smirked, "You'll see."

Hermione wondered what he was up to as they passed a few doors. Eventually, they ended up in front of a pair of magnificent mahogany doors. He beckoned for her to open them. She obliged gracefully and walked into the room. She felt her jaw drop. As far as she could see, there were shelves of books; old and new, foreign and dead languages and books she'd been dying to get her hands on. There was also a large collection of rare books. She couldn't contain herself as she hugged Malfoy briefly before running towards the nearest shelf. As he recovered from the shock of being hugged, he sank into a squishy armchair next to Hermione and nodded off to sleep.

Hours later, Draco awoke in the empty library with a warm comforter draped over him. Yawning, he decided to look for Hermione. He headed over to her room and cautiously opened the door. He peered into her room and noticed the dress she wore the night before draped over a chair. He noticed her sleeping in the middle of the giant four poster bed. She was wearing a white t-shirt that was far too large for her. Her hair was wild; devouring the pillow. He found himself smiling at the sleeping witch then made his exit stealthily. He walked to his room, climbed into his bed and fell asleep again.

* * *

:3 Hope you enjoyed it. Review!

There's gonna be a bit of drama next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

So... I had a bit of spare time so, here's a new chapter, I know it's a bit early but I know whoever follows this story probably appreciates it. As always, enjoy and review! :3

* * *

As midday drew near, Draco and Hermione bid Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy goodbye as they made their way back to Hogwarts via floo. Dusting out soot from their clothes, they clambered out of the fireplace in their dorms. Still tired from the night before, they went to their bedrooms and napped the evening away.

The next day, after Charms, Ginny caught up to Hermione, "So you and Malfoy, eh?"

"What?"

"It's all good. There's Luna, talk to you later. Bye Hermione!"

Draco sauntered over towards her and they began walking back together. Looking out through the nearby window, the sun was setting, casting the school grounds in a blood red hue.

"Hermione, you go back to the dorms, I'll pop into McGonagall's office and update her. See you later, yeah?"

"Okay."

* * *

As Hermione walked into the dorms, she felt an ominous presence lurking. She drew her wand and called into the darkened room, "Whose there?"

A faint chuckle was heard as Ron stepped out from the shadows.

"Ron? What are you doing here?" she asked as she lit the room up with a flick of her wand.

"So, that's why you rejected me? For that slimy git, Malfoy?"

"What? Draco?"

"Oh? So he's 'Draco' now? Since when have you been getting cozy with him?"

"What are you talking about Ron?"

"This," he stated simply as he threw a copy of the Daily Prophet at her feet. She picked it up uncertainly and was quite shocked to see a large picture of her and Malfoy on the front page. They were laughing happily on the balcony of the Malfoy Manor. Smaller pictures also littered the page; she was dancing with Lucius, being hugged by Narcissa and explaining her views on the impact of Transfiguration on the wizarding society to a few scholars. She began reading the article as Ron glared at her.

_HERMIONE GRANGER: NEWEST MEMBER OF MALFOY FAMILY?_

_Over the weekend at the Malfoy Manor, was one of the largest and most highly anticipated events in the wizarding world; Narcissa Malfoy's birthday gala. Coming across an invite was considered a blessing that only few would ever receive, but this was not the case for the muggleborn witch, Hermione Granger. She donned a gorgeous creation made by Narcissa Malfoy's private seamstress (for more details on the dress she wore, see page 12 for the full article) to the event and was in the company of the noblest families, even being mentioned in Lucius Malfoy's speech. Sources say that Granger and the Malfoy heir have been spending a lot of time together and some even speculate that they may be secretly dating. During the course of the night, she was seen chatting amicably with Narcissa, sharing a dance with Lucius and being whisked away for a private conversation with Draco. They were both in very high spirits as they conversed and disappeared together moments after the beginning of Lucius' speech. Many noble families expressed their approval of this young witch and they unanimously voiced their happiness to the couple, hoping to see the wedding of the Malfoy heir and brains of the Golden Trio._

_But what does Ronald Weasley have to say about that? Earlier this week, he was boasting of successfully courting Granger. But coworkers admit that it was a false statement issued from Harry Potter's right hand man. Students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry informed us that Granger had refused to be Weasley's girlfriend and effectively ended their friendship. See page 24 for the full statements of Auror's regarding Weasley's love life and pages 4, 23 and 32 for the love story of young Malfoy and Granger as told by the students at Hogwarts_.

She folded the paper and sighed. It wasn't the first time the Prophet had made up stories like that. "Ron, this isn't what happened," she stated calmly.

"Sure it isn't," he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Where's your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend, Ronald."

"So what is he then? Your friend with benefits? Hermione, I expected better from you. Always the quiet one, always studying, always looking out for your friends-"

He stepped towards her; the smell of firewhiskey lingered on his breath.

"Ron, are you drunk?"

"I always thought you'd fawn over me forever. Who would have thought that nerdy Hermione Granger would become a Malfoy whore….."

A resounding slap echoed throughout the dorm. Hermione had smacked him across the face as hard as she possibly could. A faint red handprint could be seen forming on his face, a trickle of blood leaked out of the corner of his mouth. He looked shocked that Hermione had hit him. She was furious; electricity crackled throughout her hair as she spoke dangerously, "Ronald Weasley, how dare you speak to me like that. How dare you play with my feelings? Don't, for one second, think that I would ever want a chauvinistic pig such as yourself. You are going to leave here and never come back. And do not _ever_ speak to or contact me again."

He drew himself up to his full height, "You hit me. You fucking bitch!" He raised his hand to hit her. In a heartbeat, Hermione braced herself. There was a loud thud and crash. She peeked through her fingers and saw a flash of platinum, towering over Ron. Draco stood menacingly in front of him, he sneered, "Going to hit a woman? You're even more pathetic than I thought, Weasley."

"What would you know?" he replied as he lunged toward Malfoy, earning another hard punch to the face, sending him sprawling across the floor. Malfoy walked up to him and pinned him to the wall. His grey eyes were cold and unforgiving; he looked at Ron and stated calmly, "Get the hell out of here. She doesn't want you, and for good reasons. If I ever find you here again, I will put you in St. Mungo's permanently."

Giving him the dirtiest look he could muster, Ron got up and limped towards the door. He looked at Hermione before exiting without a word. As soon as the door shut, Malfoy was at her side.

"Hermione? Are you alright? I should have never let you come back here alone."

"I'm a bit shaken up but I'm fine otherwise. It's okay, Draco. You don't have any reason to protect me."

He looked into her eyes and felt himself melt. He could see that she was trying to comprehend what had just happened through her chocolatey brown eyes. She was so innocent and untainted.

"Actually, Hermione, I do have a reason."

"What?"

"This."

He tilted her head upward slightly as he gently brushed his lips against hers. Feeling her stiffen, he pulled away reluctantly. She looked at him, noting that he had left himself completely vulnerable for her. He whispered, "I like you, Hermione."

She stared at him, completely shocked.

They stood in silence for a few moments. Malfoy used this opportunity to explain himself since he knew she would be analyzing it later.

"I know this a bad time to be telling you how I feel and I know that you'll need time to think about it, so I just want you to know that I have no intentions of playing with your feelings or interfering with your school work. I really do like you, Hermione. So whenever you figure out what you want to do; just let me know."

She nodded mutely and walked briskly to her room, leaving Malfoy standing alone with his heart in his hand. He picked up the fallen newspaper and began reading the article, wondering if he had just destroyed his chance of ever being with her.

* * *

I know it's a bit short, but I felt that it stood as a chapter on its own.

Review!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8.

I know I'm posting irregularly, but please bear with me. I'm hoping to finish this by Christmas because I'm going home for the holidays, so I won't be able to post much while I'm there. Anyway, here's chapter eight, enjoy :3

* * *

As Hermione walked into her room, she noticed a letter on her bed. Tentatively, she opened it.

_Hermione, _

_I don't know how to say this, but I know if I don't you'll be mad at me. The thing is, Ron's been telling a lot of people that you're his girlfriend. Although we know isn't true, I suspect that when the media gets a hold of that, they're gonna cause hell (again. Remember our 4__th__ year?). Anyway, look out for yourself._

_Love, Harry._

_P.S. Ron has taken up drinking in the pub almost every night._

She checked the date on the letter and found that it was sent around the time she left Hogwarts to go to the Malfoy Manor. She was glad that Harry was looking out for her. She lay in bed trying to process the evening's events; Ron being an idiot and Malfoy confessing his feelings. It was so ironic.

_Ron's being so unreasonable; when I liked him, he rejected me and when I finally moved on, he suddenly wants to get together._

She clutched her pillow. Ron had definitely changed, and certainly not for the better. He was seriously going to hit her. She shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if Draco didn't show up when he did. She knew she would need some help to figure out her feelings, so she snuck out of the dorms into the Gryffindor tower.

* * *

"So Gin, that's what happened," Hermione explained.

Ginny sat with her mouth open, completely shocked at her brother's behavior.

"'Mione, Ron's an ass. Mum's not going to say anything to him so she's going to let him do what he wants. He doesn't deserve you. But the real issue here is Malfoy."

"Draco? What about him?"

"'Mione, what do you think of him?"

"Well, he's really smart and we have a lot of good conversations, its nice having someone who can connect with on an intellectual level."

"How does he treat you?"

"Er- Good, I guess. He's polite, gentlemanly, treats me with respect, values my opinion, protects me, he looks out for me, he-"

"Makes you smile," Ginny finished Hermione's statement and grinned at her. "Hermione, it's kinda obvious that he likes you. He's willing to wait 'til you're ready so I think if you want to be with him, you should, but you'll have to decide that on your own. But if you realize that you don't want to be with him, you should tell him asap 'cuz it's cruel to just lead him on. At the end of the day, it's your choice."

Hermione sighed, "I know Ginny, but I don't know if I'm ready for a relationship. I don't want my school work to suffer. NEWTs are coming up as well as the Christmas Ball. Gah! I really don't know what to do."

"Well, you could try talking to him; maybe you'll figure out something."

"Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks Gin. I'm heading back now. See you in Charms tomorrow."

"Sure."

* * *

It was around midnight when Malfoy decided that he couldn't fall asleep because he was too worried about Hermione's decision. He decided to go down to the library and start studying for his NEWTs, which would be taking place a couple months after Christmas. It didn't take him long to realize that he couldn't focus so he dejectedly put his books away and sat near the window. It was getting colder, he noticed, snow would begin falling soon. He ran his hand through his hair and stared off into the night. His mind wandered to Ron. He immediately got angry.

_How dare he raise a hand against her? _ _How dare he try to take what's mine? _But a small voice whispered in the back of his head, _If she's yours, why doesn't she want you? Stop kidding yourself, she'll never want the likes of you._

"Draco?"

"Huh? Hermione!"

"Can we talk for a bit?"

"Sure," he motioned for her to sit next to him.

She sat next to him, still unsure of what she was going to say. She fidgeted a bit before mumbling out, "Thanks, Draco. For, you know, the Ron thing."

He looked a bit shocked, "Yeah, no problem."

She continued fidgeting. Draco sighed; he knew she was overthinking again. He spoke up to put her out of her misery, "Hermione, about the kiss and confession. I get it. I'm not your type. Just forget about it." He got up to leave and made his way out the door. Hermione sat dumbfounded, staring at the seat he was just occupying. She bolted after him, "Draco!"

He turned to see Hermione running towards him. He lifted an eyebrow and his eyes widened as she tiptoed to kiss him. After a second of confusion, he pulled her closer and deepened their kiss. She tasted of chocolate and something he couldn't quite place. It was warm and inviting. Homey, almost.

After a couple minutes, she broke the kiss, leaving Draco wanting more. She smiled shyly at him before whispering, "Draco, I like you too-"

"But we can't be together."

"It's just that we have NEWTs and the Ball, I really want to do my best."

"Hermione, calm down. I understand how you feel. Like I said before, I don't mind waiting 'til after NEWTs."

She giggled appreciatively as he gently kissed the top of her head.

* * *

"How'd it go, 'Mione?"

"Well, I told him how I felt-"

"And what did he say? Are you guys together now?"

"-Er. Ginny, calm down. We decided to wait until after NEWTs to move forward with our relationship."

"Oh, that's great!" Ginny replied loudly, causing Professor Flitwick to look in their direction.

"Shhh!"

"Yeah yeah," she replied absentmindedly. She turned around to look at Malfoy. He caught her gaze and sent a dazzling smile her way. She blushed in spite of herself and continued her muttered conversation with Hermione.

"Ladies," Malfoy acknowledged as he met up with them after class, "Shall we head down to the Great Hall for lunch?"

"Dammit, sorry. Quidditch practice. But thanks for the offer. Bye!"

Hermione looked at the redhead who was escaping to the Quidditch pitch. She could see her teammates waiting at the end of the corridor for her.

"I'd prefer to have lunch in our dorms," she mumbled.

Malfoy smirked, "Anything you want, _dear_." A few second years that happened to be passing stopped dead in their tracks. They turned around and stared incredulously at them then scuttled off quickly.

"Draco!"

* * *

After lunch, Malfoy was lounging by the fireplace while Hermione was making a to-do list.

"Do you have anything planned later?" she asked.

"Not that I know of. Why? Are you planning on taking me somewhere?" he wiggled his eyebrows at her, but was dismayed when he realized that she wasn't even looking at him. She was completely absorbed in her task.

"Yeah. Come on."

She tucked the list in her pocket, grabbed his hand and left their dorm. Needless to say, Draco was incredibly excited, wondering where she could be taking him as they zipped through the school. He was drawn back into the present when he realized that they had stopped. He noticed a large portrait of a bowl of fruit. Hermione outstretched her hand and tickled the large pear. Malfoy looked on curiously and was shocked to see it giggle then turn into a handle. He was even more shocked when she pulled the handle and dragged him in.

"T-The kitchen?" he stuttered out eventually as he took in the large room stocked with pots, pans and house elves.

"Young Master Malfoy? Miss Granger? How nice of you to be visiting," came a loud squeak. Hermione saw Dobby bounding towards them while the other house elves offered them sweets and tea. After politely declining, Hermione cleared her throat and addressed them all, "Hello everyone!" Malfoy noticed that the house elves were edging away from her. Immediately, he covered her mouth and continued in her stead. She struggled to escape his grasp but he merely pulled her close to him.

"We're here to discuss the menu for the Christmas Ball."

The house elves' ears perked up as they looked on eagerly.

"We already has the list!" squeaked a particularly squat house elf.

"What?"

"Professor McGonagall dropped a list for us yesterday. She says that she was helping you out," another squealed.

"Oh. That's good. Well, then, thank you. Carry on."

"Do you want to taste them? We prepared some to send up to your dorms. Professor said that you must approve," Dobby chirped.

"Sure, why not."

He released Hermione who proceeded to give him a death glare, "What is wrong to you?"

"We'll talk about this later, yeah," he replied tilting his head, motioning to the excited house elves scampering around. She nodded woodenly but sat down next to him.

After sampling various dishes, Draco felt that he would burst if he ate any more. He leaned back into his seat and nodded to Dobby.

"This is amazing," he told them, "You've outdone yourselves. Thank you."

The house elves beamed as they continued to offer food and drinks.

"We really should get going now," he looked at Hermione, she seemed to have calmed down.

"Do you want anything to go? Cake? Cookies? Fruit? Turkey? We has everything!"

"Na, we're good, we should be on our way now."

"Young Master Malfoy!"

He turned and found Dobby standing next to him holding a huge tray of cookies. He grinned as he took a large chocolate cookie. He bit into it and nodded appreciatively, "Hermione, you should try these, they're amazing!" Slowly, a familiar taste entered his mouth, "Dobby, what did you put in this?"

"Ahhh, that is a trick I learned when I arrived here. 'tis cinnamon."

_Cinnamon? This is really familiar._

"Oh. We have to get going now, thanks for everything!"

They ran out off the kitchen before they were offered anything else.

* * *

Hermione bid him good night as she went to her room for the night. He was still trying to figure out what tasted so good when he climbed into bed. He rolled over and stared at his copy of _Moste Advance Transfiguration: For Experts Only. _He sat up suddenly and looked at the book as he realized where he knew the taste from.

_Hermione Granger tastes like cinnamon!_

* * *

__So, I don't know about you all, but cinnamon and chocolate is a heavenly combination to me... Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

The Ball is coming up soon. Probably the next couple chapters. So stay tuned for that :3 Review!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9.

My last exam is tomorrow. So after I finish it, I'll finish this. Only a few more chapters to go. :3 Enjoy :3

* * *

"Draco! Are you ready yet?" called an impatient Hermione. She was met with no reply which frustrated her more. They were supposed to be leaving to get supplies at Diagon Alley at 7. She glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece, 7:30; she hated being late. She stormed up the stairs and knocked twice, she pressed her ear against the door to listen for any noises. Hearing absolute silence, she opened the door slightly and peeked in; his room was clean, which shocked her, books were piled neatly on a table near to his bed, there were no clothes littering the floor, moving photographs were stuck to the wall. She scanned the room to find him still asleep on his bed; shirtless, with the sheets conveniently wrapped around his waist. She tiptoed through his room and prodded him gently, "Draco, wake up."

"Mmmm?" he moaned and he rolled over, causing the sheets to inch downward.

Hermione blushed a shade of Gryffindor red as raised her voice, "Draco wake up! We'll be late."

He opened his eyes blearily, "Hermione?"

She nodded. He propped himself up on his elbow and ran his fingers through his hair. Suddenly, he slumped back into his pillows and murmured, "Five more minutes."

"What? No! Draco!"

She moved forward to prod him again, but he caught her by her wrist and gently pulled her into his bed. "What're you doing?!" she shrieked. He groaned as he kissed her left temple, "Shh… I've been studying for the whole night; can't you at least allow me five more minutes?"

"No! Let me up, Draco," she mumbled.

"I'm not stopping you," he smirked sleepily at her, "But I see no reason for you to leave, since you're enjoying this so much."

"Wha-? I-I"

"Shh… Stay with me?" he pouted.

She rolled her eyes and lay next to him, turning even redder when she realized that the sheets were dangerously low on his waist. Draco, still unaware of that fact, wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose into her neck.

Slowly, Hermione began drifting to sleep; she was incredibly comfortable. It was only when Draco sat up abruptly, threw the covers of himself and climbed out of bed, did she wake up completely. She covered her eyes immediately, leaving Draco startled.

"Er- Hermione, what're you doing?" he asked as he stretched.

"Y-You're naked," she squeaked.

"What? No, I'm not," he chuckled as she slowed dropped her hands.

She took in the sight of him standing next to the bed, his blonde locks tousled, the faint shadow of stubble on his jaw, his body was well-defined (_from years of playing Quidditch _she mused); toned chest and stomach, nice legs, even his back was chiseled. Her eyes dropped to the deep 'V' that formed from his hips, partially hidden by his black silk boxers that contrasted beautifully against his alabaster skin. She turned crimson at the sight, leaving a smug looking Malfoy to enter his bathroom.

* * *

An hour later, they entered Diagon Alley. Still yawning, Draco muttered something about getting breakfast while Hermione glared daggers at him, a light blush still dusting her cheeks. She dragged him into Florish and Blotts.

"Why are we here?"

"To buy parchment."

"For?"

"Invitations."

"Oh. What else do we have to get?"

"Ink. Ribbon. Umm… Excuse me, is this all the types of parchment you have that's less than a galleon?"

The timid worker nodded and shuffled away to help other customers.

"You were saying? Ribbon…."

"We'll have to get our costumes, we have to decide on entertainment, music, press… Stuff like that. Which do you like?" she asked, holding up a roll of ivory parchment and a roll of lilac parchment. He wrinkled his nose at them.

"Cheap stuff."

"We have other things to get; we can't go around buying expensive parchment."

"But what about the special invitations?"

She bit her lip.

"Okay, how about this, we get the ivory one for students and teachers, but we invest in some good quality parchment for guests."

"Makes sense, but Draco…"

"I'll pay for the special parchment."

She sighed. "Okay, fine."

"I'll get the ink and ribbon while I'm back there; meet me out front in 15 minutes?" he asked as he took the roll of ivory parchment and grudgingly accepted money from their budget.

* * *

With 15 minutes to spare, Hermione decided that she would browse the nearby stores. She entered Madame Red's Salon and greeted the beautiful woman.

"'ello darling, 'ave you come for touchups?"

"Wha- No I haven't got the time."

"Are you sure? It won't take long. I could do it now if you'd like."

"Er… Okay."

Hermione was glad that Madame Red had penciled her into her very busy schedule and thanked the blonde profusely. While leaving, she looked into the display case and found herself mesmerized with the perfect mask; a black, asymmetrical beauty.

"Ahh, you 'ave good taste. That one is an extravagant Venetian mask, handmade and unique."

Hermione looked at the beautifully cut and crafted metal, there were crystals glittering subtly adding to the exquisiteness of the mask.

"It goes for about 200 galleons, but I can loan you them if you like."

Hermione gasped at the steep price and found herself blushing at the offer.

"Would y-you really?" she stuttered.

"Of course! You are a friend of Ginny, I could wrap it now," she stated as she pulled the mask gently out of the case and placed it into a small box. She flicked her wand, to wrap it in brown paper and handed it to Hermione who squealed with delight.

"Thank you! I'll be sure to return it after Christmas," she assured Madame Red as she tucked it safely into her bag.

She smiled and nodded then exited the store to meet a very hungry Draco Malfoy.

* * *

"Where have you been? It's been ages. What happened to you?" he asked as he noticed the grin on her face.

"Let's grab a bite before we continue," she replied as she dragged a very confused Head Boy away as he stared at Madame Red's Salon.

After a quick lunch, she revised the list she had made. The evening passed quite uneventfully as they finished their shopping and stumbled into their dorms, laden with bags and boxes. They collapsed on the armchairs by the fireplace, both extremely tired.

"I'll go put this away now," Hermione muttered as she levitated the items into the library, leaving Draco to lounge about by the fireplace. She came back moments later with a large plate of roast potatoes and lamb as well as a flask of pumpkin juice. He accepted it gratefully as she bid him good night as she escaped to her room to study.

* * *

The next few days were hectic for the both of them. They had to write out invitations, supervise decorations around the castle, complete their homework, assign duties to the prefects and study for their NEWTs. Needless to say, Hermione wasn't too shocked when she saw Draco asleep on the plush carpet; she knew he was exhausted from the impressive workload they both shouldered daily as well as the extra assignment.

"Draco, you can't sleep here," she murmured as she dropped her bag by the table. She sat on the floor next to him and gently ran her fingers through his hair. He moaned quietly as he peeked at her.

"Why not?" he asked as he stifled a yawn.

"Because…"

"It's really comfortable. Lie down, you'll see."

It was indeed very comfortable and before she realized it, she was fast asleep as well.

* * *

When Hermione woke up, she found herself in her bed, surrounded by darkness. She wondered absently how Draco moved her without waking her. She put the lights on and went into the shower to wash away the stress of the day. After a particularly invigorating shower, she felt rejuvenated and bounded towards the library to continue her work.

She was shocked to see Professor McGonagall there, sitting in a straight narrow wooden chair, clearly something she had conjured, reading the latest copy of Transfiguration Weekly.

"P-Professor?"

"Hello, Miss Granger," she politely responded, "I'm here to check on your progress."

"Oh… Right. Well, it's going to be a masquerade ball on Christmas Eve, modeled after a high class wizarding ball. We approved the menu, we went to Diagon Alley to get supplies and hire entertainment, things are falling into place. It's just these invitations to finish and distribute."

"Ah, well done. I was beginning to get worried about the stress this might put on you."

"Draco's been a real help! I don't think I'd be able to do this without him. At first I thought it would be disastrous, but it's coming together nicely."

"Good. Where are the invitations? I'd like to read them."

"Sure." Hermione rummaged in a large box and pulled out two pieces of parchment.

"The ivory one is for students, the blue one is for special guests."

"You've thought of everything," McGonagall praised as she accepted the parchment. She opened the piece of ivory paper and read:

_You have been cordially invited to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Christmas Masquerade Ball. _

_It will be taking place on December 24__th__, in the Great Hall, Hogwarts compound._

_A formal dress code will be in effect and masks __**must**__ be worn. _

_We look forward to seeing you!_

McGonagall opened the light blue parchment, noting the texture, she knew that it was expensive and she appreciated that Draco put effort into the event.

_You have been especially invited to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Christmas Masquerade Ball._

_It will be taking place on December 24__th__, in the Great Hall, Hogwarts compound._

_A formal dress code will be in effect and masks __**must**__ be worn. _

_Please RSVP by owl to the Head Boy or Head Girl by no later than December 20__th__._

_We hope to see you there._

McGonagall returned the parchment to Hermione with a smile, "Well done, Miss Granger. Please extend my praise to Mr. Malfoy. I am exceptionally pleased that you both are handling this so well."

Hermione blushed and was pleased with herself as she walked the older woman to the door. They bid each other good night.

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall called, her hand on the door.

Hermione turned around with a puzzled expression, "Yes, Professor?"

"I'm sure the beds at Hogwarts are much more comfortable than the carpet."

She closed the door, leaving Hermione to blush fiercely as she realized that it was McGonagall who took her to her room.

* * *

I wonder how long Hermione took to stop thinking about the fact that the Headmistress found her and Draco asleep together XD

Poor Hermione, she's been red for most of this chapter :D

Review!


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